Refrigerator spacer construction



y 1943. E. SWEDMAN I 2,324,245

REFRIGERATOR SPACER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I vwe/wbo't v I a y 1943. E. SWEDMAN v 2,324,245

REFRIGERATOR SPACER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SWEEMHN ENUBH Patented July 13, 1943 REFRIGERATOR SPACER CONSTRUCTION Enoch Swedman, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Seeger Refrigerator Company, St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Application November 20, 1940, Serial No. 366,393

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in refrigerator spacer construction providing a brace and spacer between the inner and outer sheathings of a refrigerator for holding the liner, breaker strip, and the corner trim.

Various means have been used for connecting the inner liner of a refrigerator and supporting this inner liner in definite relation to the outer metallic refrigerator covering. Certain of these constructions have used non-metallic breaker strip elements connected along one edge to the liner and along the other edge to the outer metallic refrigerator covering. Other constructions have utilized a heavy wooden frame within the refrigerator between the lining and the outer covering to support the two elements in definite relationship. All of these prior constructions have certain disadvantages, as either the strength of the construction or the light weight of the construction has been sacrificed to provide the desired result. Certain of these constructions are extremely diificult to assemble, and it is therefore desired in the present invention to provide a spacer construction which is light in weight, extremely strong, and which may facilitate the assembly of the refrigerator.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a spacer element which is welded or otherwise secured to one of the refrigerator coverings being connected either to the liner or to the outer covering. This spacer is in turn secured to the other element or covering in such a way as to prevent any appreciable amount of heat transfer between the lining and the outer covering and to provide a rigid and light weight structure.

It is a feature of my invention to provide spacers which may for example be connected to the outer sheathing to extend inwardly therefrom, and to be spaced from the liner by means of a nonmetallic spacing element such as a block of rubber or the like. The only metallic connection between the inner and outer coverings is through a screw, bolt, or other fastening means which may extend through both the liner and the metal spacing element.

It is a feature of my invention to provide a novel corner construction which may be used to support the corners of the liner in proper set relationship to the outer covering. These corner members are right angularly arranged so that they guide the liner into proper relation with the outer covering of the refrigerator. A clamping means is provided in conjunction with the corner members, which clamping member acts to clamp the end of the breaker strip in proper position between the inner and outer coverings. This clamping strip is so constructed as to provide a guide for a slidably secured corner trim element which covers the joint between the ends of the breaker strips arranged at right angles to one another.

It is a feature of my invention to combine a corner spacing element, a clamp for the ends of the spacer strips, and a support for a corner trim element in one unit. Thus the refrigerator may be assembled with great ease and with the loss of little time.

It is a feature of my invention that the connecting means between the inner and outer refrigerator sheathings may enable the refrigerator to be quickly and easily assembled. It is only necessary to use one set of bolts or screws in fastening the inner and outer refrigerator coverings together, thus cutting down the time required to assemble the inner and outer sheathings almost in half. While time is of course required to weld or otherwise afiix the spacer elements in place, this operation may be accomplished with little difficulty as the task maybe done before the liner is in place so that easy access is afiorded to both sides of the spacing elements.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a refrigerator showing my new construction.

I Figure 2 is a detail view of a portion of the edge of the inner and outer refrigerator coverings showing a spacing element in place therebetween.

Figure 3 is a sectional view throughthe spacer, the position of the section being indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the spacing element before it is attached to the outer covermg.

Figure 5 is a bottom or inside View of the spacing element showing the edge flanges thereupon which reinforce the spacer construction.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a resilient block which is interposed between the spacer element and the inner refrigerator lining to prevent the transfer of heat from the outer covering to the lining.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the died-out formation of the corner spacing element.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a corner showing the manner in which the corner trim element is secured thereto and illustrating the clamp for the ends of the spacer strips.

Figure 9 is a view looking toward the corner spacing element showing the manner in which this element is connected to the inner and outer sheathings.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view, the position of the section being indicated by the line Ill-l of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view through the center of the corner element, the position of the section being indicated by the line l 1-! l of Figure 9.

In the modern refrigerator it is common practice to form the outer covering of the refrigerator of metal and to provide a metal interior which is secured to the outer covering about the door opening. The inner and outer coverings of the refrigerator are ordinarily held in spaced relationship by a nonmetallic connecting element, and this element may either form a breaker strip or may be covered by a breaker strip which conceals the fastening means. The breaker strips come together at the corner and in some instances a corner trim element acts as a fillet between the adjacent strips to conceal the joint therebetween. In the present construction spacer brackets ID are provided between the outer refrigerator covering H and the inner lining l2. As best illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4, and of the drawings, the spacer element ID are generally triangular in shape and are provided with inturned marginal edge flanges 13 in order to reinforce the spacers. As will be evident from Figure 4 of the drawings, the spacer II] is offset to provide a connecting portion I4 designed to be secured adjacent the surface of the outer covering and which is located preferably on a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the remainder of the spacing elements. As best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the outer covering H is provided with an inturned edge flange l5 thereupon which is reinforced by a substantially channel-shaped strip l6 having a flange [1 designed to overlie the front surface [9 of the refrigerator encircling the door Opening and a base which underlies the inturned flange [5. The edge 2| of the channel opposite the edge 11 thereof acts to further reinforce the edge of the outer covering member, and the spacer II] is connected with the offset portion l4 flatly against this base 29 of the channel element 16.

An insulating block 22 is positioned between the spacer I0 and the lining I2 as best illustrated in Figure 3. This insulating block 22 is provided with a lip 23 designed to engage beneath the spacer I0 along an edge 24 thereof, this lip 23 acting to hold the block in proper relation to the spacer. A metal screw, bolt or the like 25 is designed to extend through the marginal flange 26 of the lining l2 through the insulating block 22 and to threadably engage the spacer so that the insulating block 22 may be compressed between the flange 26 of the lining l2 and the spacers l3, thus securing the outer covering of the refrigerator II to the liner 12.

At each corner of the refrigerator door opening I provide a corner spacer element shown in its died-out formation in Figure '7 of the drawings. This construction is in somewhat the general form of a letter H having a pair of separating elements forming the vertical ends of the H and having a connecting strip forming the cross bar of the same. In actual use, one of the end sep ting m e s is on a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of the other so that when the corner connecting member is in place, it acts to support two adjacent edges of the inner liner.

The corner spacer 21 is provided with a pair of end spacing strips 29 connected b an intermediate connecting member 30. Each of the end spacing strips 29 is provided with an offset end 3| which is designed to overlie the inner surface of the reinforcing channel [4 and be welded or otherwise aflixed thereto. A marginal edge flange 32 encircles the corner spacing element 21 to reinforce the same. Resilient nonmetallic spacer blocks 33 are interposed between one end of each of the separating members 29 and the marginal edge 26 of the refrigerator liner l2. Thus a minimum of heat transfer is permitted between the corner spacer element 21 and the inner liner l2. Each rubber block 33 is provided with a lip 34 which extends through a slot 35 in the spacing members 29 and engages an edge 36 of this slot. This lip 34 holds the rubber blocks in place while the corner element is being assembled.

The offset ends 3| of the corner block are first welded or otherwise affixed to the marginal reinforcing channel l4; and upon insertion of the inner liner I2 through the door opening of the outer casing, the corner separating elements 21 act to guide the liner into place. When the liner is in proper place, bolts 3'! or metal screws are inserted through openings in the marginal edge 26 of the liner 21 through the rubber spacing blocks 33 which are similar to the blocks 22 and which are threaded into openings 39 in the spacer members 29. Thus in order to secure the liner l2 to the outer covering II, it is only necessary to insert two metal screws or the like through each corner spacer 21 and one metal screw or the like through each of the spacer elements I!) and through the lining in order to hold the liner l2 and the outer casing H in proper spaced relationship.

After the liner has been inserted in place, it is desirable to attach a breaker strip or covering molding over the joint between the marginal edge [5 of the outer covering and the marginal edge 25 of the liner [2. This I may accomplish in any one of a number of ways one method being illustrated in the drawings. As illustrated in the drawings, the breaker strips or molding 40 are formed continuously along each of the edges of the opening and are of a width to cover the marginal edge 26 of the liner and the marginal edge [5 of the outer covering member. A spring clip 4i may be longitudinally slidably engaged 'in grooves 42 in the rear surface of the breaker or molding strip 40. This spring clip 4| may have one end A3 which is engageable beneath the marginal edge 26 of the liner I2 and a spring loop 44 which may engage against the edge of the reinforcing channel l4. Thus the spring clips 4| may engage between the liners and may hold the breaker strip or molding 43 in proper position overlying the joint between the inner and outer coverings.

In order to hold the ends of the breaker or liner strips securely in place, I provide a clamping plate 45 at each corner. This clamping plate includes a flat base portion 46 designed to extend angularly between the ends of the strips 40 and extending substantially parallel to the connecting portion 30 of the corner spacing members 21 and two opposed inclined side flanges 41. The side flanges 41 are designed to overlie the ex.

treme edges of the molding strips 40 and a bolt 49 extends through the base portion 46 of the clamping strip and is threaded into the connecting portion 30 of the corner spacing element, thus securely clamping the ends of the breaker strips in place. In order to prevent the clamping plate 45 from twisting, an car 50 is provided on the end of the base portion 46 of the clamping plate which extends through a slot 5| or notch in the inturned marginal edge I5 of the outer covering member.

In order to conceal the clamping plate 45 and to form an attractive corner trim to conceal the joint between the ends of adjacent breaker strips, I provide an arcuated plate 52 having inturned edges 53 thereupon, and having an end flange 54 thereon to extend down into engagement with the outer covering member -l l. The inturned edges 53 form opposed channels to engage about the edges of the flanges 41. Thus the corner trim elements 52 may be slidably inserted into place from the outside and may act as a fillet between the adjacent ends of the breaker strips 40 and to conceal the clamping members 45 and the ends of the breaker strips.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of construction of my refrigerator spacer construction; and While I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention, and that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A spacer clip for refrigerators comprising a substantially triangular body, a flanged marginal edge thereon, an offset edge on said body, said body having an opening therethrough having two sides parallel to said ofiset edge, and connecting sides parallel the remaining body sides, a block of insulation overlying the apex of said triangular body opposite to said offset edge, said block having a lip of insulating material embracs ing the body adjacent said apex.

2. A refrigerator construction comprising an outer metallic covering having a substantially rectangular door opening therein, an inner liner having a similar opening therein, a corner connecting spacer comprising a pair of spacing strips and an intermediate connecting strip, one end of each of said spacing strips being secured to said outer covering member along two adjacent edges of said rectangular opening to said outer covering, insulation means interposed between the other ends of said connecting strips and said liner, securing means securing said other ends to said liner. breaker strips overlying the edges of said inner liner and said outer covering, and clamping means overlying the ends of said breaker strip and secured to said connecting strip, and trough-shaped trim means overlying said clamping means, and inturned substantially parallel edges on said trim means slidably engaging the opposed edges of said clamping means.

A refrigerator construction comprising an outer metallic covering having a substantially rectangular door opening therein, a liner in spaced relation to said covering having a similar door opening therein, a corner spacer element comprising a pair of spaced spacer strips connected by a connecting strip, one end of one spacer strip being secured to said covering along one edge of said door opening and one end of the other spacer strip being secured to said covering along an adjacent edge of said door opening, insulation interposed between said spacer strip and said liner, means securing said spacer strips to said liner, breaker strips overlying the marginal edges of said covering and liner to conceal said edges, clamping means overlying the adjacent ends of said breaker strips at the corhers, and means securing said clamping means to said connecting strip, and trough-shaped trim means overlying said clamping means, and inturned substantially parallel edges in said trim 'means slidably engaging the opposed edges of said clamping means.

4. A refrigerator comprising inner and outer metallic coverings having substantially aligned spaced marginal edges encircling the refrigerator door opening, corner spacer elements engaging and connecting the marginal edges of both of said coverings along two adjoining edges thereof, breaker strips overlying the marginal covering edges, the ends of said strips being positioned adjacent the corners of said opening, clamping means overlying said strip ends, and means securing said clamping means to said spacer elements, and trough-shaped trim means overlying said clamping means, and inturned substantially parallel edges in said trim means slidably engaging the opposed edges of said clamping means.

5. A refrigerator comprising inner and outer metallic coverings having substantially rectangular openings therein and having spaced substantially aligned marginal edges thereon, corner spacer elements connecting said coverings at the corners of said openings, breaker strips overlying said coverings between said corners, clamping means overlying the ends of said strips at the corners of said openings, means connecting said clamping means to said spacer elements, and trough-shaped trim means overlying said clamping means, and inturned substantially parallel edges in said trim means slidably engaging the opposed edges of said clamping means.

6. A refrigerator comprising spaced inner and outer coverings having registering substantially rectangular door openings therein, corner connecting means connecting said inner and outer coverings at the corners of said door openings, breaker strip means concealing the joint between said coverings between said corners, clamping g, means covering the adjacent ends of said breaker strips at the corners, means securing said clamping means to said corner connecting means, trough-shaped trim means overlying said clamping means, and inturned substantially parallel edges on said trim means slidably engaging the opposed edges of said clamping means.

ENOCH SWEDMAN. 

